3 Goals With UP

This post is sponsored by Jawbone

You may have seen my latest fashion accessory on Instagram – the Jawbone UP! It’s sleek and stylin’ and helping to keep me on track.

Jawbone challenged me to give the UP a try for a few weeks and see if it will motivate me to make some healthy changes. As I mentioned in this post, I had a little too much fun this summer, and I’m looking to get back in the healthy swing of things this fall.

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You have to make little decisions all day long that collectively make a large impact on your health. If you don’t have your goals close to heart, it’s easy to convince yourself that you want more cake, one more drink, to skip your workout at 6am. It’s so easy for me to brush off the healthy choice if I’m not reminded of my priorities in the moment I’m making them.

One of my all time favorite quotes is this:

I am so guilty of this!

Wearing a fitness tracker is that subtle reminder that your goals are larger than the cake, the happy hour or the extra 20 minutes in bed. One of my favorite features of the UP so far is the vibration it gives you after too little activity in an hour. “GET UP AND MOVE,” it hints.

Here are three goals I have for the next few weeks, and I need the UP to remind of me of them throughout my day:

1) Get 8.5 hours of sleep. Mazen has pushed his bedtime later and later, but he’s also been sleeping later and later. Our whole household has shifted back. I used to get in bed at 9:30 in anticipation of a 5:45am wake up, but now that he’s sleeping closer to 7 or 7:30, I have pushed my bedtime back to 10:30 or 11. I want to aim for 8 to 8.5 hours – no less and no MORE! I should be setting an alarm and getting up to get a head start on the day rather than letting Mazen wake me up at my leisure. There’s also a 6am workout class I’ve been dying to go to, and I’m really hoping to get there soon!

2) H20. I am soooo bad with drinking water. Like terrible. Here’s my current water schedule: wake up, drink coffee, no water. At the gym, drink 8 ounces or so from my bottle or the water fountains. Then I might have a glass each with lunch, afternoon work and dinner. So that’s what, 4 glasses a day? 32 ounces? I’m hoping to use the UP app to track water intake and really hit that 64 ounce mark.

3) Get 10,000 steps. This is the obvious goal but a very important one! When I first started using an activity tracker summer was just starting and I was getting in 10,000 steps no problem. But somehow my steps have shrunk back to only about 8,000 on average. I’m hoping at the end of this my average is 10,000+!

I really could use your encouragement – my 31-year-old mom self isn’t as motivated as I once was at 25!

Thanks to Jawbone for sponsoring this post. Learn more about the UP24 here.

Comments

I use the fitbit one because the up wasn’t accurate for me. It was very off with steps while holding my son, pushing the stroller or even walking with the ergo. And then it gave me extra credit if I’d do something with my hands like baking and was hitting a spoon against the edge of the bowl or shaking a bottle. Anyway, with 2 kids 2 and under I assumed I was active. Add half marathon training to it and I considered myself an active person. And then I got a fitness tracker. Whomp whomp. Those days spent movie watching which cuddling on the couch, sitting a little too long even after baby was done eating etc would lead me on non run days to sometimes only hit 4000 steps! Holy eye opening. It definitely holds me accountable and makes me more motivated to do an extra walk around the neighborhood with my sons or go to the park twice a day. My son loves it 😉

Dude, get on the early-bed train. It’s AMAZING. I crashed extra early last night after a long work day, and got a glorious 9 hours before my little guy was calling for me. I did wake up oddly refreshed (and confused) around midnight, but otherwise it was great.

Jawbone sounds like a super fun and useful accessory! I like the bright colours, too.

I am a new reader of your page as of summer 2014. First of all, I want to say I would have had no idea that you are 31. You look AMAZING in all of your pictures. Second, I am a Registered Dietitian and now a Physician Assistant, and I have great respect for the messages that you send to the public about leading a healthy lifestyle/enjoying all things in moderation. I love your healthy recipes and reading about your fun outings. Third, you are inspirational for all young women – keep up the great work!

I totally agree with the motivation comment! I’m 27 and not a mom yet, but I already feel my motivation waning. I still enjoy exercise but the pressure to be super fit/thin is definitely on the way out! Can’t wait to read about your experience, as I’m looking into various fitness trackers and it’s so hard to choose one!

So the Fitbit has little flashy dots that indicate the # of steps you’ve taken. Is there any sort of visual tracker on the Jawbone or do you just get vibrations for too little movement? Does it have an online or phone app where you can see everything you’re tracking? I hate the Fitbit’s phone app. It never updates so I deleted the phone app.

Just remember I haven’t always been able to sleep in either. I went through days when I had to be at my internship at 7 and leave the house at 5:45 for an hour+ commute. And the days when I worked uptown and had to sit in my car in traffic for an hour both ways. I hated that lifestyle and made a change, so don’t hate me for it! I also didn’t sleep for 6 months after Mazen was born. I’m just catching up now while I can.

Kath, it’s silly that you have to explain why you’ve “earned” the right to sleep for eight or more hours! You shouldn’t have to do that. I’m “busy” too (doesn’t everyone claim to be in one way or another?) but I always make it a priority (e.g. “sacrifice” studying time, or time with friends or my husband) to get at least 7-8 hours sleep. And all of the snide comments on previous posts about the number of vacations you take … I think it’s wonderful! It’s ridiculous how some commenters seem to imply you should apologize or feel guilty about the lifestyle you lead.

Kathy, I don’t think anyone here is saying that they “hate you” for sleeping long hours every night. It’s just that people might be a little frustrated to hear you express pride about meeting your goal of 8+ hrs/night because it’s simply not an option for many of us. I know lots of people who work insane hours because it’s the only way to keep a roof over their heads. You had the option to leave a lifestyle you hated and stay at home as a blogger/mom because you and your family could afford it, but that’s not the case for most people.

And, just to be clear, I’m not trying to say that you should apologize for being so blessed and fortunate — it’s just good to be aware of it, if you can.

Why would anybody be frustrated? Kath was talking about her own goals and she wasn’ t preaching or putting others down. Furthermore, she works herself. She is a blog writer that generates income and takes care of her son, so does the same job of the daycare worker. Her blog is successful, generates income, people need to get over it. Also may I add, I personally worked full time, took grad level courses at night, planned a wedding and worked out 3 to 4 times a week and GASP slept 8 hours a night. So there 😉

Please tell me where I specifically said that I “hated you” or that I felt you needed to explain or anything along that line, or said you were lazy. Everyone seems to have jumped all over me when I mean exactly what I said, I WISH I was able to have that lifestyle. I cannot. That’s fine. I chose this life and am happy with it. Maybe some of you are able to have a similar life to mine but different sleep patterns, that’s cool. I chose not to list everything going on in my life because, well, not everyone needs to know my entire life. We are all busy in different ways and while I try to make sleep a priority, it just cannot be this semester.

I’m sorry Kath, but your comment sections have become so hostile and uncomfortable. It’s one thing to debate, it’s another to allow people to attack others when original comments are not even remotely mean (please go back and read my comment with the tone of envy, not of malice). I realize this comment won’t ever see the light of day, but please consider that you are not the only one who gets hurt by comments on your blog. Your well meaning readers who just want to be part of a conversation do as well.

Ok everyone, “tone” gets lost in written communication. Some people come on here to intentionally snark, others like Ali, didn’t mean anything at all by her comment. The same way her “tone” got lost, I believe the “tone” in Kath’s reply of “don’t hate me!” may have gotten lost too. I read it as a joking, fake hiding behind your hands plea of “don’t hate me! I get to sleep a lot now but not always!” Now everyone go take a nap and come back ready to play nice. 😉

Sleep is essential. Look. I had my years of 4-5 hours at school. Or less after having kids. My two year old is finally letting me sleep at least five nights a week (but still wakes up butt early).

But the older I get the more important I realize it is. Trust me when I say you NEED sleep and should make it a HUGE priority. After age 35, lack of sleep became directly linked to my reduced immune system. I was sick constantly.

Sleep is absoluetly essential and when you get older you have to make it a huge priority. I’m 38 now and I am not able to sleep like I use too so I make a priority to go to bed early. I also take at home courses, worlk full time as well and have a second part time job that I’m transitionning into. But, I still get my 8 hours of sleep. That’s too important for me!

I am in need of a one to get back on track. It’s been 2 weeks of non stop eating out and drinking to much wine!
Early to bed is so awesome..I was in bed at 9 last night! I am great at drinking water but really bad at getting up from my desk during the day to walk. I’m sure my daily step count is way low until I go for a run or get a work out in.
Thanks for sharing!

I try to get 8 every night. But after 20 years in the Navy, my body automatically wakes up between 4:30-6 every day. Even on Sundays, no matter how early or late I go to sleep. Never fails. And i try not to take naps during the day.

I drink at least 100 ounces of water a day. I’m always thirsty but I think that’s a side effect of a medicine for HBP. My pilates instructor as well as a friend who does sonograms, said you should have at least 16 ounces when you first wake up to rehydrate all your organs from the night before. The water I get when I go to be is usually in a 32 ounce cup and by morning I have about 16 ounces to drink when I wake up. Yes I wake up in the middle of the night thirsty too. LOL!

I have used UP band for 9 months now. Love it. Only down side has been first one broke back in June. After attempts to get it working and emails to them, they replaced it. But they said the warranty still expires in December. So I hope it keeps working.

I’ve been reading your blog for a while now, and I just want you to know that it keeps me inspired to stay healthy and find balance in my life. Sometimes we get a little off course, but you can totally get back to the routine that you want. Awesome goals! I can’t wait to hear how you do on them.

I have never tried an activity tracker before but it looks like a really good way to keep motivated to move throughout the day like you mentioned in your post. I have a desk job so I sit down for a lot of the day, but I am trying to walk on my lunch hour to get in some movement, break up my day and feel refreshed. I like the realistic goals you’ve set out in your post and I am going to try and drink more water too because I easily slack there as well. Thanks for the reminder and motivation.

I completely know what you mean about being a mom and not having the motivation of our ‘younger days!’ When my girls were little, I felt like a huge success if everyone had been fed, bathed, and we just survived another day. Fast forward to turning 40 (gasp- I still don’t feel it!) and suddenly I had a renewed focus on my health and motivation to take care of myself. Not that I didn’t care when my girls were little, but there just wasn’t enough time and energy in a 24 hour day to get 10,000+ steps in. Give yourself credit for what you are already doing (soccer?!) and know that you are living a healthy example for your son.

I love them! They are very easy to remove. They will start to come off themselves around days 5-7 and I can get a good week out of them. Take note of the instructions because the closer you follow them the longer your nails will last

Love that quote! And I am planning on getting a FitBit or other tracking device so I’ll be interested in seeing how you like yours to work on your goals. And as for the sleep discussion, I’m not a mom yet but I hear those first several months are brutal. So good for you for giving yourself the rest you need now that you can!

Motivation is hard. It comes and goes. I lost 14 lbs early this year and stalled. Layoffs at work, sick kid, etc. When I feel like I have a handle on it I just start over. For me, sadly, that means calorie counting. Only thing that works.

My hubby wanted to get me a U24 as a gift. I declined. While the nerdy type A engineer in me would love the data on steps and sleep, I felt it would just make me obsessed. Plus the reviews say that in general, it lasts a year or less. Maybe I’m an old fogey, but if I’m spending $120 on a gadget, it better last at least four years.

I love that quote! I hadn’t heard it before but it’s so true. I’ve been thinking about getting a jawbone or fitbit or some sort of fitness tracker to keep me on track. I’m generally pretty good with motivation but towards the end of the summer I felt burned out from doing nothing but working, studying, and exercising. My goals for fall are really similar to yours–to drink more water, get more sleep (for me the magic number is between 9 and 10 hours), and add a few more cardio workouts into my usual workout routine. But I do have to add that I need to balance that out with more time away from my desk so I can be with my friends and family!

I love the idea of tracking steps, and love even more the look of the Jawbone – so cute. I’m a little hesitant about the price though. Do you know of any cheaper options? I only really want the step counting feature so it doesn’t need to be anything fancy. Was just wondering if I could pick your brain!!

I use the Fitbit. I never thought I would reach 10,000 steps in a day but many days I do. I also like how it analyzes my sleep and shows me how restless I was, etc. It most likely isn’t that accurate but it’s interesting. I never take it off.

Sleep! I love it! And my second child at 15 months old is FINALLY sleeping through most nights! Hurray!!! I know you’re planning a second, so i totally hear you on catching some sleep now while you can.

A collegue at work has something similar to this…what a cool idea!! I don’t keep track of my “steps” but I do TRX twice and yoga 4x a week (I think that’ll suffice!). As for the rest, I NEED my sleep (that much exactly) but I do need to drink more water!!!

Love this post!! (and your whole blog for that matter!) I have a FitBit and it’s depressing how inactive I usually am. I completely agree with you about motivation. I have a one year old and I’ve lost most of the baby weight, but I just can’t find the get-up-and-go to get rid of these last few pesky pounds. The quote you posted is a great reminder to think about the long term..and what I truly want. Thanks for the inspiration!!!